The Wolverine

December 2012

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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Local Pass Catcher Joins Wolverines' 2013 Class COMMITMENT PROFILES M BY TIM SULLIVAN ers for the 2013 recruiting class. They reeled in Columbus (Ohio) Marion- Franklin three-star Jaron Dukes and Harper Woods (Mich.) Chandler Park Academy three-star Csont'e York in the spring, but that wasn't enough to satisfy an obvious need on the Wolverines' roster. Head coach Brady Hoke and ichigan's coaching staff has long been in pursuit of wide receiv- his staff have been in pursuit of Crete (Ill.) Monee four-star Laquon Treadwell longer than anyone, and many fans assumed it was a "Treadwell or bust" scenario at the position. The Wolverines also kept their eye seconds in the 100-meter dash — gives him the ability to turn a small gain into a long one. Though his high school doesn't on unranked Da'Mario Jones from Westland John Glenn High School — just 20 miles away from Ann Ar- bor. On Halloween, U-M offensive coordinator Al Borges extended an offer, and Jones wasted no time in accepting. "I got the call from Coach Hoke and Coach Borges, and they asked me if I was willing to be a Wolver- ine," said Jones, who is not rated by Rivals.com. "It was no shadow of a doubt in my mind that it was the right place for me to be. So I made a commitment without any sort of hesitation." It may have seemed like a no- brainer for Jones — whose only other offers came from Mid-Ameri- can Conference schools — to commit to Michigan, but the situation was Da'Mario Jones "I got the call from Coach Hoke and Coach Borges, and they asked me if I was willing to be a Wolverine. It was no shadow of a doubt in my mind that it was the right place for me to be. So I made a commitment without any sort of hesitation." slightly more complicated. Shortly after attending Michigan's Barbecue at The Big House recruiting event in July, he had committed to Central Michigan. Though he kept his op- tions open in the process (and made four game visits to Ann Arbor this fall), he had to decommit from Cen- tral before picking Michigan. "I'm done with the recruiting pro- cess," Jones said. "It's been a stress and a strain. "Now that I know where I want to game that I can contribute to Michi- gan that I feel might help. I don't just consider myself as one specific type of player. I feel like if I need to do a certain thing to get the play done, I have to do whatever it takes to get it done." At 6-2, 190 pounds, Jones has the "There are a lot of aspects to my size to play either on the outside or in the slot at Michigan. His speed — he has been timed at less than 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 10.8 Da'Mario Jones, a 6-2, 190-pound wide receiver for Westland (Mich.) John Glenn, has been timed at less than 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash and 10.8 seconds in the 100-meter dash. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM go, I'm going to be getting ready for that next level. I'm getting my game ready so I can have a good chance to compete for a starting job." While both of Michigan's other wide receiver pledges are tall outside threats, Jones has more ability to play multiple roles. "I consider myself as a versatile three wide receiver commitments in the 2013 class, the coaching staff may not be done at the position. The most talented option on the board — Rivals.com considers Treadwell the nation's top wideout — is still in play, and he provides a differ- ent skill set than any of the current commitments. ❑ player," he said. "Whenever I need to get open, I can be elusive, or I can just use flat-out speed or I can just run you over. enough size (6-2, 190) and speed to make an impact ion the passing game. He has good ability after the catch and can even make plays from the running back position, which he does in high school. For a high school receiver, Jones' blocking ability is impressive. There can always be improvements in technique, but he is very willing to seal the edge and help his running backs make big plays. Areas of Improvement: Since he Strengths: Jones has good FILM EVALUATION played for a poor high school pro- gram that didn't throw the ball fre- quently, Jones will have to polish his route running before he's ready to perform at the next level. He'll need to learn to run crisp routes and track the ball appropriately into his hands to make plays. Jones will also need to play with a keep individual stats, Jones had a solid year for a Glenn squad that re- bounded to win its final three games after an inauspicious 0-6 beginning. He lined up at wide receiver, running back, safety, cornerback and even quarterback for the Rockets during the course of the year. Although Jones gives Michigan physical edge to his game. Michigan Player Comparison: Roy Roundtree is in the waning days of his fifth year at Michigan, and he has been a very solid contributor for the past four years. He does not have elite ability in any area of the game, but is a well-rounded player whose willingness to give excellent effort has made him a key player during his career. — Analysis From TheWolverine.com DECEMBER 2012 THE WOLVERINE 59

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